While preparing these pages, I came across loads of websites on Antwerp. They contained so much information on the city and it's many treasures that I was reluctant to start anything at all. I wanted to do something other than just include links to those sites so... I have decided to use my Antwerp pages to share with you some of our favorite places
using my own pictures, and just a bit of text.
The pages I prepared are represented as links at the top of each page.
I also included a links section here and along the way so that you might surf at your leisure
the websites I mentioned for more information on some of these sights.
This launch was a long time coming, so I hope you enjoy what is here.
Introducing Antwerp (taken from Fodor's travel website)
In its heyday, Antwerp (Antwerpen in Flemish, Anvers in French) played second fiddle only to Paris. Thanks to artists such as Rubens, Van Dyck, and Jordaens, it was one of Europe's leading art centers. Its printing presses produced missals for the farthest reaches of the Spanish empire. It became, and has remained, the diamond capital of the world. Its civic pride was such that the Antwerpen Sinjoren (patricians) considered themselves a cut above just about everybody else. They still do.
Antwerp today is Europe's second-largest port and has much of the zest often associated with a harbor town. The city has traditionally taken pride in being open to influences from abroad and in welcoming newcomers.
Antwerp is known as the City of the Madonnas. On almost every street corner
in the old section, you'll see a high niche with a protective statuette of the Virgin.
People tend to think that because Belgium is linguistically split between Flemish
and French, it is also religiously divided. This emphatically is not so. In fact, the
Roman Catholic faith appears to be stronger and more unquestioning in
Flemish-speaking Flanders (where Antwerp is) than in French-speaking Wallonia.
Rubens is ever-present in Antwerp, and a genial presence it is. His house, his
church, and the homes of his benefactors, friends, and disciples are all over
the old city. His wife also seems to be everywhere, for she frequently posed
as the model for his portraits of the Virgin Mary. Rubens and fellow Antwerper
Van Dyck both dabbled in diplomacy and were knighted by the English monarch.
Jordaens, less widely known, stayed close to Antwerp all his life; long regarded
as an also-ran, he has only recently been recognized for his artistic genius.
But Antwerp is not only a place to see the work of Old Masters. It is also on the cutting edge of contemporary art and fashion. The sharpest designers and avant-garde artists have gravitated here, rather than to the Belgian capital, and as a result Antwerp's galleries and runways are flourishing.
Antwerp is a good walking city. Its major sightseeing attractions are easily reached from one major street that changes its name as it goes along: Italialei, Frankrijklei, Britselei, and finally, Amerikalei.
The sightseeing treasures of Antwerp are best seen at a leisurely pace - after all, who would want to gallop through Rubens's home at a fast clip? But if time is a factor or if you'd like a good overview before striking out on your own, the city makes it easy by providing guides for walking tours, regularly scheduled coach tours, and a series of boat trips to view Antwerp from the water, as so many visitors through the centuries have first seen her.
If you're a dedicated do-it-yourselfer, you can get maps and sightseeing booklets from the tourist office to guide you. Walking trails marked within the city will lead you through typical streets and squares to find the main points of interest. There's even a free ferryboat ride across the Scheldt.
Many of Antwerp's museums and churches are open to the public either for free or at a minimal charge (closed on Mondays).
Walking Tours - In July and August, there's a daily guided tour of the city center in English (and French), leaving at 2pm from the tourist office; the price is 4 Euro ($3.25), accompanied children under 12 free. The tourist office can also arrange for a highly qualified guide to accompany you on private walking tours around the city at a set rate of 37 Euro ($32.52) for the first 2 hours, 19 Euro ($16.26) for each additional hour. There are also clearly marked self-guided walks, with brochures available from the tourist office.
